Voice of reality and politics of “God told me”
By Livinus Ukah
Going through my memory lane as a Nigerian, I have heard and listened to many political leaders of today. I give my sincere regards to Governor Ayo Fayose for his outspokenness to burning sleeping issues in Nigeria which many people ignored for fear of getting big reprimands from authorities. Though many people may not like him because he calls a spade a spade and doesn’t play the politics of “oga’s boy” Going through the Nigerian dailies, we see a voice of reality coming from this man who is not afraid of anybody but his creator. We need such brave, fearless leader to uplift Nigeria from the dungeons of economic, political and social retrogression. Nigeria needs a leader that can curb ethnicity, politics of where you come from and the political greed of today.
Those who can save Nigeria are those who are outspoken, who know the existential reality of Nigeria, those who know how the economic recess is crippling Nigerian economy, private sectors not to talk about the peripheries. Nigeria economy is even affecting the rats in the dust bin because those who used to dump leftovers are no longer dropping plenty because of lack not to talk about the dog in the house.
Fayose is not afraid of criticisms that emanate from his political views that protect people. He is against the obstruction of Justice; he is seen as a philosophical guru of nationalism. We in Nigeria need people like Steve Banon of America who worked in the white house but was not comfortable over what he saw. We need people like Paul Ryan an American Republican, Sanders a Democrat and social critic, Rex Tillerson; American Secretary of State, Michael Wolff the renowned American writer and the American media; the defender of democracy. Fayose is towing that line. We have heard the recent pronouncements of Pastor Tunde Bakare that God wants him to run for presidency,
Fayose is also on the same line of thought with Bakare. Perhaps, they should consult Rev Fr Mbaka to know what God thinks since he prophesized that Buhari would be Nigeria’s messiah but Buhari turned out to fail him and the entire Nigerians. God does not change. If God appointed Buhari to lead as claimed by Rev Fr Mbaka, God would guide him but if he fails, God would give him a shameful sign as shown to David who deviated from God’s ways and his son Absalom waged war against him; his Father, David. Inspite of David’s atrocities, God did not withdraw his promises from him. Saying God appointed Buhari can be seen as a mish-mash of ideas and stories told when warming oneself at burn-fire to chase away severe harmattan cold and this story is episodic.
A dysfunctional government needs a voice of reality, and that voice penetrates into the “mago-magos” of the government. That voice is not a compromising voice but the voice of God speaking through a person. In today’s world, personal revelation is rare. The church views with skeptical smiles, those who parade the world with their personal revelations. We cannot use religion to satisfy our political views even though politics is about fighting against unjust structures that cause war, hunger, and crises in an environment. If we wish to declare our political interest, we should not hide behind God and say he sent us nor going to Aso Rock privately, praising the landlord of Aso Rock and later discrediting him.
There is nothing wrong if you criticize the system that affects your citizens negatively. As you do that, you must maintain a critical distance from those who are indifferent to the plights of the people to maintain credibility. You cannot be here and there; otherwise, it becomes a juvenile show.
Apart from “God told me politics” of Pastor Bakare and Fr Mbaka with Fayose intending to have a larger Christian community as a Pastor according to his premonition, his eyes are also on the Presidency. With Fayose’s eyes on the Presidency, his past performance as a Governor and his speaking out on injustices that bedevil the Nation, all these speak in volumes and would give him a dazzling credential to be what he wants to be in Nigerian politics. He is not in a fantasy island but swimming in a pool of political reality.
Nigerians are looking for a political savior at this time of our political lives. They don’t need anybody to tell them who is going to be their president because they have learned a lot from the previous greedy politicians who squandered their privileges given to them.
The polarized electorates have done damage to our political psyche. So who are capable to serve their fatherland irrespective of where they come from. No more primitive loyalty but men dazzling with brilliant ideas and the fear of God.
The Presidency is neither for sale nor pushing people to be there for us. You can be there with your dazzling integrity not the deceptive unverifiable integrity which brought the political collapse of Nigeria that we are currently facing. If Fayose does not involve in carpet-crossing but stays where he is, his integrity would be intact and he can be a big voice in Nigeria. Some politicians who used to be active voices later lost their voices in power and thereby left dirty footnotes in Nigerian Political history. Will this amiable, fearless and Mavericks Politician; Ayo Fayose later become one of them or still continue with his political momentum?
Very Rev Monsignor Livinus Ukah was former Secretary of Justice and Peace, Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, author and current Parish Priest; St Alphonsus Catholic Church, Aboru Iyana Ipaja, Lagos.
